Glastonbury
(was bloody marvelous!)
Sorry for the delayed update folks, but I've had to concentrate solely on recovering this last week (or so)! What can I say? After such an amazing time at Glasto 2005, I wondered how we would ever top it. But HELL we topped it! If you were there, you'll know what I'm talking about! If you weren't, I hate to rub it in guys, but ha ha, No! seriously, I was amazed to see so many people I recognized, or the other way round at least, from the likes of my MySpace or mailing list, squished and huddled up against stage barriers! Despite the fact that I played 9 times! Across 5 different stages! Mental! My last gig ended just before midnight on the Sunday, at which point Bill Bailey got up to do his killer set. It was a completely perfect way to round off the festival. I have so much respect for all of you who sat in the mud.
With the studio I was working in getting burgled and all my gear and choons being nicked last month, it meant I had no new trax or CDs to take with me to Glasto. I knew it meant I had to rock twice as much if I wanted to make an impact, so I made it my main mission to simply go rock it up!
And…. I think it's safe to say, Mission accomplished! Hooray! It's always been an ambition of mine to play Glastonbury, in fact I often joke 'Yeah I'd love to rock Glasto from my knees'. Ho, be careful what you wish for….!
It was approaching 1am on the Saturday, and I had just wrapped up my set at the beautiful La Belle Epoque. So with only 3 major gigs the following day, it seemed only sensible to go out on a complete bender! I can't remember how or why, or when exactly. I just remember going to the backstage bar and asking for some ridiculously large amount of alcohol, only to be told along with everyone else that they had now run out! Immediately people began to panic and started rushing for the exits, no one wanting to be left stranded. Outside a swarm gathered and people began to make emergency plans! At this point, some people decided to turn in for the night, realising that it was approaching 4am and it was pissing down. I however, turned to my mate Sarah, and we both turned to look at Steve, and Steve just sort of went 'Oh God' through his teeth! Our monstrous pub crawl through the thick squelching mud took us all the way from Theatre, to Circus, zig zagged the main drag, then to Jazz, all over the Green Futures Fields before finally collapsing, very wet and very muddy, in a shack in Lost Vagueness, desperately hoping for a proper fry up. They did of course only serve vegetarian food. They had also run out, AND it had a leaky roof. I think we made it back to our accommodation, er, I mean tent, about 8am.
I woke surprisingly bright eyed and bushy tailed considering. I warmed my voice up by listening to an operatic vocal warm up on my friend's car stereo. That got everyone going! Even the boys from other tents were joining in on the high notes. It was like a Julie Andrews audition. So I managed to warm me pipes up in the nick of time, ready for 4.30pm; my third and final set on the La Belle Epoque stage (I believe it was called the Theatre stage once upon a time). It was by far my favourite set of the three there. Everyone was particularly chirpy. The crowd were entertaining me, never mind the other way round! I'd written a song sort of for the purpose of Glastonbury, called 'Another Song'. It's definitely my favourite at the mo (although that does change frequently) and you know 'save the best for last' and all that! So there I am, coming to the end of my set, playing the song through, just really enjoying it. The particularly energetic audience members had learned the chorus by now so it was rockin' into the instrumental, and as I finished singing 'alright', I sort of flicked my head up and my big hair got it on with the mic stand, and the mic was now dangling only by its lead! My first thought was 'Oh Bollocks', quickly followed by a rueful giggle, but in a split second, I considered all that I had gone through to get there, declared that nothing would stop me that easily, pounced to my knees, guitar still intact, and began to sing the outro!! I had to get my head right under the mic (it's to do with omnidirectional mics 'n science 'n things) but it actually sounded pretty good considering! Then my best mate came to the front, hopped up, grabbed the mic and guided it back, slow enough for me to keep singing, cos I had of course started at this point. She even got it in the mic stand in time for me to let it rip and do the scatty bit at the end! Oh man, it was so cool. Everyone whooped and cheered, and the sides of the tent became jammed with passers by piling in to see what was going on. It was really cool cos I didn't feel the need to make a joke like I usually do when things go tits up! I'd sung my little heart out so much and was so absorbed in being there, at Glastonbury Festival, on that humungous stage singing to relieve myself of all that shit. It really is just indescribable. I think the experience would be unique to each person. I myself felt as happy as a pig in muck!
I spent an awful lot of time on stage this year. That's a lot of time looking out into the crowds and seeing what people are up to. I really like to observe what's going on with everybody; Who's the muddiest? Whose boogying on down in la la land? all those things! I always like to observe who's really getting into my music, or even how one's body language might change as they listen to my lyrics. It's unfortunate that I can usually only see as far as a couple of rows back, cos the lights are so FULL on. It was really funny when I was looking out into the crowd on that last Glasto gig. A few songs in and I noticed a bit of a rustle, and then a massive chunk of the audience simultaneously just plonked themselves down into the mud and sort of nested themselves in! It really made me chuckle, and it seemed that not even a mid-Somerset monsoon could put these guys off!
My gig at The Dance & Fire Stage on the Sunday night rounded off the festival really nicely. I played this stage back in 2005, but the actual stage itself changes every time here. This year it looked like a massive spaceship had landed in the field!
It's all very posh when you're an artist at Glastonbury and you get to drive around on site and things. When our vehicle first arrived on site, we ended up coming through Gate C, right into the middle of it all. I turned and said to Sarah, God, what stage is that? I've got to play that one'. I really said exactly that, can you believe it, and then I ended up playing it! It turns out Arabella Churchill had already personally recommended me to the stage manager, which I was extremely touched by.
So The Dance and Fire kicked bum. I felt like a proper rock chick! You guys have sent in some cool pics of the gig from your mobiles too, which is great because I forgot to suggest that. These photos are now making up their own gallery on my website.
This one has got to be my favourite. I mean. Have you ever seen a girl with an acoustic guitar look that angry? Others are like 'ladi dah', and I'm just like' f*ck you'!
It looks like I'm spitting him out! Wuhoo!
It would be criminal for me not to share with you these two rather amusing young lads, wearing not a lot other than some really quite fabulous green spandex tights and purple sparkly thongs! On their shoulders rested a rolled up rug that they carried round the festival with them everywhere they went, occasionally asking attractive young ladies in skirts to limbo under it. As you can see from the photo, the one at the back wasn't leaving much to the imagination. I think it was on the Sunday when I was mid conversation in the Theatre Field when 'it' just caught the side of my eye. When I took a double take, something just clicked in me and I automatically launched myself in to the air, palm first and spanked his little bottom raw! I just couldn't help myself! In complete shock he swung round, fist first, brandishing it up in the air ready to smack me one, but he just saw me doubled up wetting myself with laughter, stuck and flailing, semi-drowning in the mud! I really thought he was going to thump me one you know, I could actually see him bite his lip!!
I could go on forever, but I should probably go write a song or do something constructive.
I hope to see you there next year for lots more ridiculousness x
You can find the full Glasto gallery at http://www.octoberrocks.com/gallery.htm enjoy...